Ilmenau (Rodelclub Ilmenau) Also this year, the FIL Summer Cup presents itself as a great celebration of the sport of luge for both, spectators and athletes. Having a beautiful summer weather, this com-petition spreads once more its unmistakable glory. All the adversities of the races during the winter months are excluded at the FIL Summer Cup in Ilmenau. No wear and tear of the track, no sudden snow flurry. The conditions during the competitions in Ilmenau are equal for all participating athletes, as the athletes are sliding down a plastic track lying on wheeled sleds.
Of course, during the competition which is held at the track located on the „Floßberg“ in Ilmenau, there is no battle among the luge athletes because of difference in equipment - sleds are being drawn before the beginning of the competition and exchanged after each run. It doesn’t matter whether „borrowed“ sleds are used or athletes are sliding down a plastic track. In the end, the world best athletes were also ahead in Ilmenau. Fighting an exciting duel, the Olympic Champion Silke Kraushaar from the club BSR Oberhof (1:01,326) came out on top with a very close victory against the Junior World Champion Anja Eberhardt from Ilmenau(1:01,459). With that, the queen of luge from Sonneberg gained her sixth victory on the hill called „Floßberg“. The Olympic Champion Jens Müller from Ilmenau, who was in Oberhof with the German skeleton team at the same time when the FIL Summer Cup took place in Ilmenau, won his fifth race.
In the men’s competition, the Junior World Champion David Möller came out on top with a slim lead against his club mate from the „BSR Oberhof“, Jan Eichhorn (1:00,277). Followed by Marcel Lorenz in third place (1:00394) and Christian Baude in fourth place (1:00,828). Both of them are usually driving in doubles but competed here in singles. However, the fastest man of the day started in the Junior Class. Andi Langenhan from Zella-Mehlis was the only one among the 73 starting athletes from six nations to finish in all three runs below the magic time limit of 20 seconds (totally: 0:59,863). In the Women Junior Class, Julia Flachsenberger won in 1:01,903, in front of Anne Heckert (1:01903).
The organizing committee of the „luge club of Ilmenau“ with manager Felicitas Schimanke, head of the sport club, Michale Spieß, race director Manfred Siegmund, start leaders Rudi Kraushaar and Wolfgang Ros, finish leader Achim Mätzel and chief of the track, Wilko Jäger can be proud. Once again, they all were very successful in managing a marvelous luge festival. The comment of Olympic Champion Silke Kraushaar: „It was again great fun, and I enjoyed competing in this race“.
Results:
Men
1. David Möller (GER) 01:00,105
2. Jan Eichhorn (GER) 01:00,277
3. Marcel Lorenz (GER) 01:00,394
4. Christian Baude (GER) 01:00,828
5. Stefan Höhener (SUI) 01:01,225
6. Michal Kvicala (CZE) 01:01,275
Women
1. Silke Kraushaar (GER) 01:01,326
2. Anja Eberhardt (GER) 01:01,459
Juniors - Men
1. Matthias Stiebig (GER) 00:46,763
2. Tobias Raßbach (GER) 00:46,815
3. Sven Gutberlet (GER) 00:46,825
4. Gregory Carigiet (SUI) 00:46,853
5. Manuel Pfister (AUT) 00:46,972
6. Robert Braunschweig (GER) 00:46,977
Juniors - Women
1. Madeleine Teuber (GER) 00:47,148
2. Aline Tröster (GER) 00:47,171
3. Sarah Langbein (GER) 00:47,314
4. Stefanie Panzek (GER) 00:47, 343
5. Elisabeth Hergt (GER) 00:47,428
6. Veronika Stefanakova (SVK) 00:47,654
